Spring actuated blind



- Dec. 16, 1941. F. J. BURNS SPRING ACTUATED BLIND 2 Sheets-Sheet '1Filed Dec. 26, 1940 'INVE NTOR 1941- F. J. BURNS SPRING ACQTUATED BLIND2 Shests-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 26, 1940 gn w VENTOR. a 7776 Patented Dec.16, 1941' 2.266.160 srnmc ACTUATED nnmn Fred J. Burns. Saginaw, Mich.,assignor to The Columbia Mills, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation ofNew York Application December 26, 1940, Serial No. 371,633 9 Claims.(01. 156-17) This invention relates ,to Venetian blinds and moreparticularly to means for the operation thereof.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to provide a springactuated Venetian blind in which the raising and lowering of the slatsis accomplished in the manner of an ordinary window shade.

Another object is to provide a spring actuated blind which eliminatesthe conventional lifting cords and the cord looking or anchoring meansassociated therewith.

A further object is to provide a practical and effective spring actuatedblind operable in the same manner as is a window shade for evenlyraising and lowering the blind, and which holds the slats in any setadjusted position.

A still further objectis to provide a spring actuated blind in which theactuating means is compact and readily assembled, and which is designedto lessen spring friction and eliminate fatigue.

A further object still is to provide a blind composed of relatively fewparts, simple in design and rugged in construction, which can beeconomically manufactured and readily assembled.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsin the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat changes may bemade in the form, size, proportions and minor detailsof construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings: r

Fig. 1 is a'longitudinal frontelevational view, showing my springactuated blind with the face board of the head box broken away to showthe interior;

Fig. 2 is a top plan elevational view;

3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is also a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig.1;

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the line 5-5 of the tilt spoolsshowing the tape opening therein.

Referring now to the drawings in which I have shown the preferredembodiment .of my invention. The numeral 8 indicates the head box of theblind which is adapted to be mounted and supported on suitable brackets9 provided on the window casing l0. End and intermediate brackets -l I,I2, and I3 respectively, are mounted in the head box 8 and ahorizontally disposed shaft 1 4 is journaled therein, one end of saidshaft being fiatted as at l5 to engage and extend through the hub l6 ofa worm wheel ll, said hub being journaled in an opening B provided inthe bracket I3, and a small collar 18 is provided on the opposite end ofthe shaft l4 adjacent the bracket H to prevent longitudinal shiftingthereof.

Cylindrical tape spools [9 are mounted on the shaft I4 in spacedrelation, said spools being open at one end and having hubs 20 castintegral therewith, or may be made up of assembled stamped parts, andset screws 2| are provided in said hubs to facilitate securing thespools on the shaft. A longitudinally disposed gap or opening 22 isprovided in the cylindrical surface of the spool l9, and slottedopenings 23 are provided directly adjacent the ends of the metal tofacilitate the attachment of the upper ends of the ladder tape 24, saidtape extending downwardly through openings 25 provided in the bottomwall of the head box, and slats 2B are carried in this ladder tape inthe usual manner.

A sleeve member 2T-is rotatably mounted on the shaft l4 intermediate thespools l9, and sheaves 28 and 29 respectively, are mounted on saidsleeve adjacent the ends thereof, said sheaves being disposed within thespool members l9, and metal lift tape members 30 are anchored thereto.

Circumferentially arranged, slotted openings 3| are provided in the'cylindrical face of the spools l9 to accommodate said tape andpermitthe tilting of the spools, said tape leading downwardly through theslats, the extreme end being anchored to the bottom rail 32 of theblind. Transversely disposed concave slots S are provided in the bottomrail 32 and a staple member U is also mounted in the rail in alignmentwith each slot, the staple projecting into said opening so that the endof the tape may be threaded therethrough and then secured by means of ametal clip X crimped around the loop of tape. This eliminates thepossibility of breakage of the lifting tape at this point, and insuresfree tilting or swiveling of the bottom rail.

' A notched ratchet wheel 33 is rigidly mounted on the intermediatebracket l2 (see Fig. 4 of the drawings), and is centrally bored toaccommodate the sleeve 21 which extends therethrough, a spool 34 beingmounted on the sleeve directly adjacent said ratchet wheel, and aplurality of pawls 35 are mounted on said spool for engagement with thetoothed ratchet member 33 as the blind is operated.

A spring element 36 is mounted on the sleeve 21 as shown, one end beinganchored to the sheave 23, the opposite end of the spring being anchoredto a non-rotatable floating bracket 31 which is slidable longitudinallyon the sleeve 21; and it will be obvious that this floating bracket willmove longitudinally in the head box as the blind is operated to wind andtension the spring.

A tilting mechanism '1 forms a part of the blind operating mechanism,and comprises a worm 38 journaled on the plate extension 39 which ismounted on the end bracket [3, said worm meshing with and driving theworm wheelthe hub of which is iournaled in the end bracket 13. A cordsheave I is provided'on the one end of the worm shaft II and a tilt cord42 is trained thereover, the ends of the cord hanging down within easyreach of the blind operator so that the slats may be tilted to anydesired angle.

I wish to direct particular attention to the length, as well aslessening spring friction and "snaking of the spring as the blind isdrawn down.

In practice and when it is desired to lower the blind, the operatorgrasps the bottom rail 32 and exerts a downward pull thereon; downwardtravel of the blind unwinds the metal tape from the sheaves 28 androtates the sleeve 21, winding and tensioning the spring element 36, thefloating bracket3'l to which the spring is at-- tached, 'movinglongitudinally a distance sufflcient to smoothly and evenly accommodatethe spring, then when the blind has been lowered to desired position,one of the pawls 35 drops into the notch 43 of the ratchet member 33 andthe mechanism will be held in set position, the several pawls permittingstopping of the blind in comparatively short steps.

To release, the operator again grasps the bottom rail of the blind,gives it a slight downward pull to release the engaged pawl from thenotched portion 43 of the ratchet wheel 33 and the spring tension drawsthe blind upwardly until manually checked or in fully raised position,this operation being exactly the same as when raising a window shade.

I wish to direct particular attention to the fact that one shaft andsleeve construction makes a -very compact unit; it is operable to tilt,stop,

raise, or lower, and can be confined in a head box of limited height anddepth.

It will, of course, be understood that the floating bracket can be ofany desired design, and various changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention. I The mechanism issimple, practical, and economical; and all parts can be readilymanufactured and assembled by comparatively unexperienced workmen.

What I claim is:

1. A Venetian blind provided with ladder tape, slats, a bottom rail, andlift tapes; a tilt shaft. a rotatable lift sleeve, sheaves mounted onsaid sleeve and about which the lift tapes are wound;

an energy storing spring element on said sleeve to lift said blind: anon-rotatable element, one

end of said spring element being connected to said sleeve with theopposite end connected to a shiftable non-rotatable element andautomatic means to secure the blind against lifting movement.

2. A Venetian blind of the class described comprising a support, alongitudinally disposed shaft, a lift sleeve rotatably mounted thereon,sheaves mounted on said sleeve, lift-tape wound on the sheaves andconnected to the bottom rail of the blind, a spring element anchored tothe sleeve and to a non-rotatable element movable 101181- tudinally onsaid sleeve as the spring is tensioned, and automatic means to securethe blind against lifting movement. 3. A Venetian blind including asupport, a shaft mounted to rock therein, a sleeve revolvably mounted onsaid shaft, sheaveson said sleeve and tapes wound thereon and connectedto the bottom rail of the blind, a spring element mounted on said sleevewith one end anchored thereto, a nonrotatable bracket mounted to floaton said sleeve and to which the opposite end of the spring is connected,and means to secure the blind against lifting movement.

4. A Venetian blind of the class described and comprising a support, alongitudinally disposed shaft mounted therein, a ladder tape supportedfrom the shaft and including spaced slats and a bottom rail, a sleeverotatable on said shaft, sheaves mounted on the sleeve, lifting tapeconnected to the bottom rail and adapted to be wound on said sheaves, aspring element mount-' ed on said sleeve to lift said blind, astationary ratchet, and a pawl assembly mounted on said sleeve andautomatically engageable and disengageable with said ratchet when theblind is operated.

5. A Venetian blind of the character described comprising a head boxhaving a longitudinally disposed shaft mounted therein, tape drums fixedon said shaft and having ladder tape connected thereto, slats carriedthereby and including a bottom rail, a sleeve revolvably mounted on saidshaft intermediate the drums, sheaves on said sleeve, lifting-tape woundon said sheaves and connected to said bottomrail; a non-rotatable,longitudinally adjustable element mounted on said sleeve; a springelement also mounted on said sleeve and anchored to the sheave andnonrotatable element respectively, and automatically operable means forsecuring said blind against lifting movements.

. 6. A Venetian blind of the class described comprising a head boxhaving a longitudinally disposed shaft rockably journaled therein,spaced apart drums mounted on said shaft, ladder tape anchored to thedrums, slats mounted therein in spaced relation and including a bottomrafl, a sleeve on the shaft, sheaves mounted thereon, tapes anchored toand wound on said sheaves with the lower ends anchored to the bottomrail, a spring element anchored to one of said sheaves, means fornon-rotatably anchoring the opposite end of said spring element, alocking ratchet, and a pawl assembly mounted on the sleeve andengageable with the ratchet for holding the blind in set position.

'7. In a Venetian blind wherein is provided a support with slats, laddertape, and lift tape; a shaft, a rotatable sleeve mounted thereon;sheaves fixed on said sleeve and to which said lifting tape isconnected, a non-rotatable floating brackat on the sleeve, a springelement anchored to said sleeve and bracket, respectively: a station-.ary ratchet; a pawl assembly rotatably molmted on said sleeve andoverhanging said ratchet, one of said pawls being automaticallyengageable with said ratchet for holding the blind in set position. 1

8. A Venetian blind structure of the class described comprising asupport, brackets secured thereto and a shaft mounted to rock therein,

' spaced apart spools on said shaft, ladder tape anchored thereto, slatsca'rried thereby and including a bottom rail, a sleeve on said shaft,sheaves on said sleeve, and lifting tape anchored I to and wound thereonwith the lower ends secured to said bottom rail, a non-rotatable bracketI slidable on said sleeve, a stationary ratchet wheel, a revolvable pawlassembly mounted onthe sleeve der tape and including a bottom rail, asleeve journaled on said shaft, sheaves mounted thereon within saiddrums, lift tape wound on said sheaves and connected to the bottom rail,a non-' rotatable floating bracket on the sleeve; a spring mounted onthe sleeve and connected to one of the sheaves and to the bracket,respectively; a fixed ratchet wheel, and a pawl assembly on the sleeveand engageable with the ratchet wheel to hold the blind in set position.

. FRED J. BURNS.

